Under the Water
by xxAgentOfChaosxx
Summary: It's been nine months since Gotham had a real threat - Bane. Now, while the city heals from the damages he left behind, the Riddler and Poison Ivy team up to do what Bane never could; destroy Gotham. With a new detective in the GCPD, a new vigilante in the skies, and new villians roaming the streets, Gotham will be in for a few surprises. Blake/OC Wayne/Kyle. Post Dark Knight Rises


Under the Water

DISCLAIMER: I do not own DKR, or the characters. Chapter title courtesy of Miley Cyrus; look it up, please, it'll only take you a couple of seconds… :)

Chapter One: Start All Over

* * *

Former Detective Robin Blake treaded heavily through the thigh deep water. He held a flare high, examining the cave surrounding him. It had been nine months since Bane's reign of terror, destruction, and death had ended, and the people of Gotham were still trying to rebuild their fallen city. Each one was still mourning the loss of Batman, stopping to stare at his statue in the Capitol building. They all thought he had simply blown up whilst trying to save the city. End of story.

But Robin knew better. Alfred had trusted him with a piece of valuable information; he had spotted Bruce while on vacation in Florence, Italy. Robin had no idea how, but Batman had escaped the Bat before it was destroyed by the bomb. He had watched the scene intently, standing by the St. Swithin's school bus, and he hadn't seen Batman jump from the machine. Robin sighed, shaking his head.

He stepped onto a more smooth and solid piece of land than he had been on before. Sensing his weight, a platform began to rise from the water. He lowered the flare, releasing it into the water. It burned out quickly. Robin lifted his head, his eyes lighting upon the Bat Cave. Though he had seen the structure many times over, the sight still managed to render him awestruck.

As he stepped off of the platform and onto the main flooring of the Cave, he noticed that all of the rails, walkways, and platforms had been raised. All of the gadgets, machines, and vehicles were out and ready. The Bat Suit looked like it was for sale, spread out on a table. Robin's eyes darted and roamed over every surface before he moved. He tentatively walked to the Suit, placing a hand on the chest of it.

"Alfred?" He called.

"Good morning, Mr. Blake." A voice answered.

"Good morning," Robin grinned, facing the older man. In the past months, Alfred had become more a friend than an acquaintance to Robin. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. And yourself?" Alfred placed a to-go cup of coffee on the table.

"I'm all right." Robin paused. "Have you heard from Bruce?"

"No, I haven't spoken to him since I left over a year ago."

"Ah. Well, he and Selina are engaged. The wedding is next month." Robin hesitated again, wrinkling his brow gently. "I can't believe he wouldn't tell you about that."

"I try not to look at it that way. I made my peace with it a long while ago."

"Still." Robin shrugged. An awkward silence filled the enormous Cave.

"Jim Gordon mentioned to me that he found someone to fill your position on the force," Alfred went on, eager to change the topic of conversation.

"Really? Who?" Robin's brow remained furrowed.

* * *

"Morning, Commissioner." Sage Gordon smiled as she strolled into the station, sipping her coffee.

"Hi." Gordon grinned at his niece.

"I've got to say, it feels great to be home," Her smile widened as she headed to her desk.

"That's good. But first things first, I've got a case for you." Gordon slapped some photos onto her desk. "A body washed up in the river earlier this morning. "

Sage scrutinized the pictures. "Isn't that Mayor Duncan?" she put the photos down as she pulled her dark red hair into a bun.

"Yes."

"All right. I'll go to the scene." Sage nodded, grabbing her things, including the photos.

"I'll come." Gordon offered, falling into step beside her. She grinned at him as he pushed the doors open for her.

* * *

"It doesn't make sense. Who would assassinate the mayor only five months after the election?" Sage bit her index fingernail as she slowly paced the scene of the crime.

"I'm not sure, but, that's why you're here." Her uncle replied, slapping her gently on the back. She nodded absently, watching, absorbed, as the paramedics loaded Mayor Duncan into an ambulance. She noted the stab wound in his back, directly under his ribs, and the gunshot hole at the nape of his neck.

She sighed. "They could've just let him bleed out as they dragged him here. Instead, they went for the quicker route; shooting him in the back of the head…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "But shooting him wouldn't have been as quiet."

"Unless they had a silencer." Gordon pointed out.

"True. But why would they stab him first?" Sage stopped, thinking. Her face light up softly. "Do you think it was someone who worked for him?" Without waiting for an answer, she yelled at one of the rookies. "Get me a list of everyone who worked in his office."

He nodded, hurrying to fulfill her command.

"What're you planning on doing with that list?" Gordon questioned.

"I'm gonna interview everyone on it." Sage grinned, taking the paper from the rookie.

"That'll take too long." Gordon explained.

"Do you have a better idea, Commissioner?" She raised a brow at him.

* * *

Bruce Wayne woke up early, soft morning light filtering into his and Selina's room. Stretching, he sat up and smiled down at Selina's sleeping form. He pushed the covers back and slid off of the bed. As he trailed to the kitchen, he patted his golden retriever's large head. Bruce pressed a button on the coffee maker and it gurgled to life. He wandered to the living room, sat on the couch, and flicked on the TV.

The news was still filled to the brim about Gotham's fallen protector, Batman. Bruce sighed and watched the old footage that a civilian had taken of the Bat exploding.

"Why do you watch this?" Selina asked softly behind him.

"I like to see if anyone's figured it out yet." He replied as Selina sat beside him, handing him a hot mug of coffee. Selina didn't say anything else, just stared at the TV silently.

"How do you feel about visiting Alfred today?" She finally whispered.

"What?" Bruce looked at her.

"You haven't spoken to him since you left. I think we owe it to him to tell him about the wedding and invite him to it." Selina explained.

"I don't know, Selina." Bruce avoided her brown eyes.

"Think about it." She patted his leg before standing and leaving the room. Bruce sighed again and switched the TV off.

* * *

Robin Blake sat alone, starring at the TV screen. It'd been almost nine months since he'd had it on; since he'd – along with the rest of Gotham city - found out the truth about Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon. He stood and wandered to his bedroom where he opened the closet doors and pulled out a dusty and unlabeled box. Robin rummaged through the box until he found what he was looking for; a family picture, including himself, his father, and his mother. He assumed that he was about four, maybe five. All he knew was that his mother had died that year.

Placing the photo back in the box, he grabbed his keys stomped out the front door. Robin didn't know where he was headed, he just drove.

* * *

"So, Edward Nygma." Sage read slowly from the list. "What do you know about the mayor's homicide?"

"Nothing." He said calmly.

"Really? As I recall from the security cameras, you were the last person in the building with him. Even his bodyguards had mysteriously disappeared." Sage paused. "What happened last night?"

"I don't know." He replied just as calmly.

"Okay. Either you tell us what you know, or we put you in custody." Gordon said.

"I don't know anything about it." Nygma shrugged.

Sage and Gordon looked at one another before eying Edward.

"We're done here. Take him in." Sage said, turning to leave the interrogation room.

"Detective Gordon." Nygma called.

"What?" She turned around.

"Do you like riddles?" He questioned.

"Not especially." Sage glanced at the Commissioner.

"What lives during the night, and, shrouded in darkness, is concealed from sight?" Nygma ran a hand through his short blonde hair.

Sage narrowed her eyes slightly. "A bat." She answered.

"Precisely."

"Are you saying the Batman did this?" Commissioner Gordon took a step toward Nygma.

"I'm not saying anything." Nygma raised a brow.

"Damn right you're not." Gordon muttered. "Get this guy out of here." He yelled though the open door.

"Wait." Sage stood, holding up a hand. "Batman doesn't exist."

"Of course he does. You have to place your faith somewhere, Detective, especially when you have so little of it." Nygma grinned sardonically at her as he was escorted from the room.

Sage turned to Jim. "There's one more person, then we're done."

"Hopefully this is the lead we're looking for," He sighed, dropping into a chair. "Who's the person?"

"A woman named Pamela Lillian Isley." Sage replied, reading the name from the list.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review! :D


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